ActionAid International The Gambia (AAITG) on Thursday held a message development workshop for the National Assembly Select Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
Held at TANGO Conference Hall Kanifing, the workshop was opened by the AAITG’s Country Director, Dr. Kujejatou Manneh, who thanked the National Assembly Members for attending the workshop, despite their busy schedule.
“Having this workshop with you is very important and I am happy that you gave your audience to this important consultative workshop, because as representatives of the people you are the one who should take the real lead on these issues, because you are the lead policy-makers,” she stated.
Dr. Manneh, who stated that The Gambia is a country where tremendous things can happen, urged the National Assembly Members, to at the end of the session come out with a better document to resist any pinching obstacles.
Mr. Buba Khan, Africa Advocacy Officer, AAITG, gave the background introduction of the 2011 / 2012 crop failures findings.
He told the parliamentarians that an occurrence of draught has been an issue for Sahelian countries, and The Gambia is no exemption.
Mr. Madi Jobarteh, the Program Officer of TANGO also urged lawmakers to see themselves as important people, adding that the destiny of the country lies in the hands of the National Assembly Members.
“We should not sit and see the National Assembly crying for help because you have the power to do what is good for the country and we (as civil society organisations), we are doing what we are supposed to do, by capacitating you in all forms,” he stated.
Mr. Lamin Nyangado, Head of Policy and Advocacy at AAITG, made a power point presentation on major study findings of the 2011/2012 crop failures.
